Stay-in-place concrete footing forms

ABSTRACT

A stay-in-place concrete footings form is used for forming a concrete footing between a spaced-apart pair of the stay-in-place concrete footings forms. Each concrete footing form is elongate and has a cavity inside the form. Each form has a pair of elongate sides wherein openings are formed in the elongate sides to permit water to flow into the cavity. Each form has a dovetail pin or dovetail slot formed along the lengthwise extent of both sides of the form. The dovetails permit clamps, having a mating dovetail slot or dovetail pin, to be clamped to the form for anchoring the form to the ground with a stake carried by the clamps.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of provisional application Ser. No.60/812,889 filed on Jun. 12, 2006, entitled “Stay-in-place concretefooting forms”; and provisional application Ser. No. 60/879,384 filed onJan. 9, 2007, entitled “Stay-in-place concrete footing forms”.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to forms for pouring concretefooters and more particularly to a form system that also provides waterdrainage as a continuous drain tile.

Stay-in-place concrete footing forms are commercially available and usedin the home construction industry. One such form system by Alton F.Parker is based on hollow forms that function to also drain water (seeU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,224,799, 5,210,162, for example). Another such formsystem by Patrick S. Pawlicki uses a dovetail in one side of the formfor permit the forms to be staked to the ground. An elaborate connectionsystem is proposed to join adjacent such forms (see U.S. Pat. No.5,015,117).

Despite the availability of these concrete footer form systems, therestill is a need in the art for improvements thereto. The presentinvention is one such improved concrete footer form system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A stay-in-place concrete footings form is used for forming a concretefooting between a spaced-apart pair of the stay-in-place concretefootings forms. Each concrete footing form is elongate and has a cavityinside the form. Each form has a pair of elongate sides wherein openingsare formed in the elongate sides to permit water to flow into thecavity. Each form has a dovetail pin or dovetail slot formed along thelengthwise extent of both sides of the form. The dovetails permitclamps, having a mating dovetail slot or dovetail pin, to be clamped tothe form for anchoring the form to the ground with a stake carried bythe clamps.

Advantages of the present invention include the ability to weep waterfrom the soil surrounding the forms by the hollow space within eachform. Another advantage is the ability to be staked into the ground viaclamps designed to mate with the dovetails formed along the lengthwiseextent of each form. These and other advantages will be readily apparentbased on the disclosure set forth herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the presentinvention, reference should be had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stay-in-place concrete footingsform;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thestay-in-place concrete footings form;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of thestay-in-place concrete footings form;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the stay-in-placeconcrete footings form wherein a dovetail is formed along the top andbottom thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the stay-in-place concrete footings formof FIG. 4 having slots formed along the side thereof;

FIGS. 6-8 are partial perspective views of different splines adapted tobe lodged in the dovetails of the forms in FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of two adjacent stay-in-place concretefootings form of FIG. 4 having fabric spread therebetween;

FIGS. 10-12 are end view of the stay-in-place concrete footings forms ofFIG. 9 showing the placement of the splines of FIGS. 6-8 for retentionof the fabric;

FIG. 13 is an end view of two stay-in-place concrete footings formsstacked atop each other;

FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of a lock for securing the twoforms in FIG. 13 together using their dovetails;

FIG. 15 shows the placement of rebar between two adjacent forms with amask or clip capturing the rebar;

FIGS. 16-18 show additional rebar mask or clip designs; and

FIG. 19 is a simplified end view of adjacent, spaced-apart forms similarto those shown in FIG. 15, but with a metal spring rebar clip.

The drawings will be described in further detail below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1, a section of a stay-in-place concretefootings form, 10, is shown in perspective view. Form 10 is of thin-wallconstruction with a pair of hollow cavities, 12 and 14, separated by anelongate central wall, 16, which provides additional structuralintegrity. Along the lengthwise extent of both sides of form 10 are weepor draining slots, exemplified by a slot, 18. Such slots permit waterthat accumulates and/or is present adjacent to form 10 to drain intocavities 12 and 14 and thence into a drain or other conveyance. Suchslots aid in moving water away from the foundation of the structurebuilt atop the footers formed with the disclosed forms.

It will be understood that the contractor will use a pair of suchdisclosed forms spaced-apart a suitable distance for pouring concretebetween such spaced-apart forms for forming a conventional concretefooter, typically reinforced with rebar or other reinforcement. Thedisclosed forms are stay-in-place in that they are not removed after theconcrete footer cures.

In order to ensure that form 10 stays in place before, curing, and afterthe concrete footer is poured, a pair of dovetails slots, 20 and 22, isformed along the lengthwise extent of both sidewalls of form 10. Suchdovetails can be used in connection a mating dovetail pin carried by aclamp, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,117, cited above, in order toattached a stake driven into the ground and carried by the clamp. Theprecise shape of the dovetail pins and slots is not important, as commondovetails, lap dovetails, or other mating configuration can be used forconnection purposes, as disclosed herein.

The dovetail pin or slot along the concrete footer side of the disclosedforms can be “locked” to the concrete footer, which surrounds a dovetailpin or fills a dovetail slot. Such positive locking may even dispensewith the need for the clamps and stakes. The disclosed concrete footingsform design, however, permits the use of conventional clamps and stakesalong with the concrete lock to ensure that the form stays in placeduring the concrete pour, during the curing of the concrete, and afterthe concrete footer cures.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a form, 30, is seen to carry a pair of dovetailpins, 32 and 34, along its lengthwise extent. Again, on such dovetailpin is locked to the concrete while opposite dovetail pin 34 can besecured to a clamp designed with a mating dovetail slot. Form 30 alsouses holes to accommodate water to flow to its interior. Slots, holes,or apertures of any configuration, then can be formed into the novelform in accordance with the disclosure set forth herein.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a form, 50, has a lengthwise dovetail slot, 52,and an oppositely disposed lengthwise dovetail pin, 54, for mating withthe concrete on one side (either side) and for attaching to a clamp onthe other (either) side. Form 50 uses both holes and slots.

Referring now to FIG. 4, dovetail slots, 56 and 58, have been formedalong the top surface, 60, and bottom surface, 62, of a form, 64. Thus,the disclosed concrete footings form has the design flexibility of usingdovetail pins, dovetail slots, or a combination of dovetail pins anddovetail slots in any combination on the sidewalls, top wall, and bottomwall. FIG. 5 shows a series of vertical slots, such as a slot, 66,formed in the sidewalls of the form, such as described in connectionwith FIGS. 1-3. Again, the pattern of apertures and their shape isunimportant and can be left to the forms designer and/or manufacturer toimplement. Of importance is that the disclosed stay in place formsfunction to move water away from the foundation after the structure isformed, while functioning as a conventional form for pouring concretefooters. Again, a unique multi-purpose form is disclosed.

FIGS. 6-8 depict three different designs of splines, 68, 70, and 72,which splines are adapted to be placed in dovetails 56 and 58 of form 64illustrated in FIG. 4. A variety of different spline designs will bereadily apparent to the skilled artisan.

FIG. 9 details the use of the disclosed splines. That is, a pair ofadjacent forms, 74 and 76, can be spaced an appropriate distance apartand a fabric, 78, placed between and over the forms. The space betweenforms 74 and 76 will be filled with concrete, and optionally rebar, forforming a concrete footer. Fabric 78 is held in place with splines, 80and 82, which are placed, respectively, in the dovetail slots formedalong the top of form 74 and form 76.

FIGS. 10-12 sequentially detail the spline placement method used tocapture fabric 78 for a spline, 80, for form 74. The same method can beused to capture fabric 78 in form 76. Fabric 78 can be formed fromplastic or other appropriate material, for example, for containingwater. Slots, clips, and/or other attachment means also can be used forretaining the liner in place in addition to the disclosed splines anddovetails. Fabric 78 is relatively thin such that desirably is permitsconcrete to fill in interior dovetail slots formed in forms 74 and 76 inFIG. 9.

For obtaining additional concrete footer height, the disclosed concretefooter forms can be stacked atop each other, as illustrated in FIG. 13for forms, 84 and 86. In order to secure forms 84 and 86 together, alock, 88 (see FIG. 14), can be placed in the cavity, 90, formed by theadjacent dovetail slots in forms 84 and 86. Lock or spline 88 can beprovided in a variety of configurations so long as the stacked forms aresecured together during the concrete footer pour.

FIG. 15 shows a pair of forms, 92 and 94, in place for pouring aconcrete footer. In order to secure the rebar, such as a representativerebar, 96, a mask or clip, 98, is designed in such a pattern as toretain the rebar in the desired location within the footer to be poured.Mask or clip 98 can be retained in place by its outer ears that snuglyfit within the side dovetail slots in forms 92 and 94. A plurality ofsuch similarly or differently designed masks or clips can be placedalong the extent of forms 92 and 94 at appropriate intervals. Each maskor clip has a pattern of notches in which the rebar snugly fits. FIGS.16-18 show different representative designs of for clips, 100, 102, and104. It will be appreciated many additional patterns can be envisionedand are useful in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 19 shows an end view of forms 92 and 94 from FIG. 15, but with ametal spring clip, 106, supporting rebar, 96, and additional rebar, ifdesired. Metal spring clip 106 can be made slightly longer than thewidth between forms 92 and 94. The placement of spring clip 106, then,would pre-load or tension it for additional strength. The ends of springclip 106 lock into the dovetail slots of 92 and 94. The design of suchends can be as illustrated or they can be rounded to fit into only theupper or lower corner of the dovetail. The design of spring clip 106also is such that it can be installed upside down from the installationdepicted in FIG. 19 to vary the depth at which it would hold the rebar.Merely turning FIG. 19 upside down reveals this unique design feature ofspring clip 106.

While the invention has been described with reference to variousembodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that variouschanges may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elementsthereof without departing from the scope and essence of the invention.In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particularsituation or material to the teachings of the invention withoutdeparting from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intendedthat the invention not be limited to the particular embodimentsdisclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments fallingwithin the scope of the appended claims. In this application all unitsare in the metric system and all amounts and percentages are by weight,unless otherwise expressly indicated. Also, all citations referredherein are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

1. A stay-in-place concrete footings form, wherein a concrete footingcan be formed between a spaced-apart pair of said stay-in-place concretefootings forms, which comprises: an elongate, hollow concrete footingsform having a cavity inside said form, having a pair of elongate sideswherein openings are formed in said elongate sides to permit water toflow into the cavity; said form having a dovetail pin or dovetail slotformed along the lengthwise extent of both sides of said form, saiddovetails permitting clamps having a mating dovetail slot or dovetailpin for clamping to said form for anchoring said form to the ground witha stake carried by said clamps.
 2. The concrete footings form of claim1, which has dovetail slots form along its lengthwise extent and saidclaims have mating dovetail pins.
 3. The concrete footings form of claim1, which has dovetail pins form along its lengthwise extent and saidclaims have mating dovetail slots.
 4. The concrete footings form ofclaim 1, wherein one side has a dovetail slot and the other side has adovetail pin.
 5. The concrete footings form of claim 1, which is formedfrom plastic.
 6. The concrete footings form of claim 1, wherein the topand bottom also have a dovetail pin or dovetail slot formed along itslengthwise extent.
 7. The concrete footings form of claim 6, wherein apair of said forms are stacked atop each other and a mating splineconnects said forms together.
 8. The concrete footings form of claim 6,wherein a fabric sheet is secured to the top dovetail pin or dovetailslot with a mating spline.
 9. A pair of the concrete footings forms ofclaim 6 spaced apart with said secured fabric sheet therebetween. 10.The concrete footings form of claim 1, having a rebar clip secured tosaid dovetail tip or dovetail slot.
 11. The concrete footings form ofclaim 10, wherein said rebar clip is formed from one or more of plasticor metal.
 12. A concrete footer having the stay-in-place concretefootings form of claim 1 affixed thereto.
 13. A concrete footer havingthe stay-in-place concrete footings form of claim 5 affixed thereto. 14.A concrete footer having the stay-in-place concrete footings form ofclaim 6 affixed thereto.
 15. A concrete footer having the stay-in-placeconcrete footings form of claim 8 affixed thereto.
 16. A concrete footerhaving the stay-in-place concrete footings form of claim 10 affixedthereto.